The disadvantages of day-care centers

Written by shelley gray

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Children who attend day-care centres can get sick often. (sick child image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com)

Working parents face a multitude of decisions regarding the care of their children. Day-care centres, schoollike settings where parents can leave their children for the day, are increasingly popular. However, there are disadvantages to such an arrangement.

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Expense

According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, average annual child care costs in the United States ranged from £2,948 to £10,331 in 2008. For many families, this is a significant expense that is not affordable. Additionally, some centres charge extra fees for late pickups.

Sickness

Day-care centres generally will not allow sick children to attend. If your child has a cold, you may have to make arrangements for a family member to take care of him or for you to stay home from work. According to Baby Center, children who attend day-care centres are "exposed to more germs" and, therefore, more likely to become sick.

Quality of Care

Some day-care centres have high child to staff ratios, which can result in poor quality of care. Even if there is one adult to every five children, it can be difficult for day-care employees to give each child the quality, one-on-one time that she might receive at home.